On December 17th 2013 the second largest lottery jackpot in US history was won after two separate ticket holders matched all of the numbers in the Mega Millions drawing. The first winner, 56 year old Ira Curry from Georgia, came forward to claim her half of the record breaking jackpot within 24 hours of the numbers being drawn. (read more…)

Nevertheless it took two weeks for the second winner to come forward, and there was plenty of mystery surrounding the new multi-millionaire from California. However the winner finally came forward to lottery officials on Thursday, 2nd January 2014 to claim his $324 million Mega Millions jackpot prize.

Admitting that he had forgotten visiting the store in San Jose where he bought the winning ticket, Steve Tran explained that he had a sudden realisation in the middle of the night as he remembered going buying a lottery ticket from a gift shop who had been publicising that they had sold the winning ticket, and sprang up from bed searching through a pile of lottery tickets.

The delivery driver from Northern California spent two weeks oblivious to the fact that he had become a lottery millionaire, and he now has 60 days to decide whether to take the winnings in annuities or whether to take a lump sum which will total approximately $120 million after fees and taxes.

After learning of his win and finding his Mega Millions lottery ticket which matched the winning numbers 8, 14, 17, 20 and 39 as well as the Mega Ball 7, Tran admits that he called his boss and quit his job, telling him “I hit the jackpot. I don’t think I’m going to come in today, tomorrow or ever.”

The Mega Millions jackpot now stands at $20 million and is due to draw on Friday 10th January 2014. Who knows, this could be your story next week. So don’t forget to purchase your Mega Millions tickets online at Lottery24.com.